She met Pato while doing a swimsuit photoshoot (Image: Instagram/sthefanybrito)

Just months after arriving in Italy, Pato was engaged to Sthefany Brito, who he met on a swimsuit photoshoot.

By July 2009, the pair tied the knot despite an on-off relationship - and threw a £170,000 party at Brazil's five-star Copacabana Palace hotel to celebrate.

The country's media branded the pair as Brazil's Posh and Becks as hundreds of people joined them as they wore matching Dolce and Gabana outfits for the bash.

However, the marriage lasted just nine months and Sthefany moved back to Brazil with her mum and the pair endured a bitter divorce, which included a three-year legal battle.

But Pato wasted no time in moving on and hooked up with Miss Brazil 2010 Debora Lyra as they watched their country compete in the World Cup. Pato had missed out through injury.

Next up for Pato it was Debora Lyra (Image: Instagram/deboramlyra)

Debora is a former Miss Brazil (Image: AFP/Getty)

Hectic work lives were the reported reasons for their split after just one month.

Later that year, while Pato remained in Milan despite injuries hampering his progress, he began a relationship with Barbara Berlusconi - the daughter of former Italian prime minister and AC Milan owner Silvio.

He was alleged to have got her pregnant after pictures emerged of him kissing her stomach, as the pair continued to attend matches together while he was injured.

Team-mates were reportedly becoming uncomfortable with Pato's close relationship to Milan's hierarchy and in January 2013, they cut their losses and sold him to Brazilian side Corinthians.